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An injectable conductive hydrogel for closed-loop and robot-assisted rehabilitation via stretchable patch-type
Subin Jin1,2, Heewon Choi2,3, Donghee Son4,5,6
1Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Nature Protocols
|May 19, 2025
Summary
This study introduces injectable hydrogels and bioelectronic devices for faster healing of severe injuries. This innovative approach accelerates tissue regeneration and improves functional recovery, offering a new rehabilitation strategy.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Bioelectronic Engineering
Background:
- Conventional therapies for severe injuries lead to long recovery times and potential disabilities.
- Existing materials and devices have limitations in addressing tissue defects and electrophysiological reconstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize injectable conductive hydrogels and self-healing bioelectronic devices for enhanced tissue repair.
- To establish a closed-loop rehabilitation system integrating these components for optimized motor function.
- To evaluate the efficacy of this integrated system in a rat model of volumetric muscle loss.
Main Methods:
- Development and characterization of injectable tissue-interfacing conductive hydrogels.
- Fabrication of soft, self-healing, and stretchable bioelectronic devices.
- Integration into a closed-loop system with exoskeleton robotics for tailored rehabilitation.
- In vivo testing in a rat model of volumetric muscle loss.
Main Results:
- Successful development and characterization of the injectable hydrogel and bioelectronic device system.
- Demonstrated accelerated tissue regeneration and improved myofiber regeneration in the rat model.
- Validated the efficacy of the closed-loop rehabilitation system in enhancing functional restoration.
Conclusions:
- The combination of injectable hydrogels and bioelectronic devices offers a promising, minimally invasive approach for severe injury rehabilitation.
- This integrated system significantly improves tissue regeneration and functional recovery.
- The findings underscore the potential of this technology to revolutionize rehabilitation strategies for complex injuries.
